Metroid: Show Off
by Blake Wales
Summary: It's Samus Aran, Armstrong Houston, and Ridley too after the Kihunter War with another crisis... Please R&R!
1. Metroid: Show Off

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# Metroid: Show Off 

## By Chris Walden

This is another Super Metroid add-on story and is based after the story, 

_The Kihunters_, written by John Morey. I give him full credit to everything I now know about Metroid; Also to TJ who allowed me to continue my passion to write about my ideas. And also to all the guys at the MDb that made my dreams come true. And now, _Show Off_. Also to my grandmother who inspired me to write books for my own passion and for her.

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# Introduction

It has been six months since the destruction of the Kihunters and their MASTER. Samus Aran, and Armstrong Houston had fought on the desolate home world of the Kihunters, Tsebnash. The two bounty hunters were alone in their attack against another army of metroids. Just recently, Ridley, the dragon space pirate that had once been under Mother Brain's control, and fought on the side of the Kihunters, until he had a change of heart. 

He decided to fight with Samus and Houston for the good of the universe. He was not trustworthy for some time, but his motive to fight for good was increasing every time Samus saw him. He and the two famous bounty hunters fought their way to Tsebnash while the Kihunter fleet was attacking Earth, as the Galactic Federation fleet struggled to win. Samus succeeded in destroying the MASTER in a mental battle. 

Gel'Gen, a name you might know well by now, is the last Chozo to have taken care of Samus, and taught here all the basics of fighting and battle that she knows now, except for the experience of all the wars she's won against evil. Currently, Ridley is not a complete mess on Earth, and he is up to living a good and worthy life like the rest of his race had. You see, his home planet was destroyed in the war with the Kihunters. Samus and Houston still work for the Federation, and are a little closer now, knowing that they ware brother and sister once separated in an accident long ago. But they do their job, and they do it well. If you need a better explanation, I suggest you read _The Kihunters _first.

**Chapter 1: Target Practice**

KABOOM!!!

The alloy plate was dented good, but had the blaster handgun been charged up, it could have been shattered. The Federation Policeman had made a good hit on the dummy target. Just on the right side of the torso.

Dozens of other people with blasters and handguns lined up to the counter separating them from the wide shooting arena for rifleman of all kinds to test their skill. Sounds of shooting was instantaneous. 

He aimed again. 

He missed.

"What? How could I miss that?" exclaimed the officer.

"Because you suck at it. That's why." Said another policeman drinking out of a mug nearby. "You need hit the guy in the head to kill him, Tom ." Obviously, this guy was not handy with a gun. 

"Aww, shut up Dan. I'm getting better every minute. I'll be a bounty hunter in no time. The Federation just isn't looking very hard." Tom bragged. He really did wish he could shoot like a bounty hunter. 

He got fed up and went to the weapons exchange for a new idea.

"Hey Harvey, got a plasma rifle for me? I wanna blow some shit up." 

The heavy and muscular man behind the counter tried to look surprised.

"I hope you're not talking about your office, because Hardy was lookin' over the totals on the fed records, and was doin' some recruitin'. You don't wanna screw this one up." Then other policemen joined in unison, 

"Yeah, Tom, don't wanna miss your big opportunity!" 

Tom was getting tired of all this crap, all he wanted to do was get rid of that alloy plate and get on with his job. "Just give it to me, Harvey," he demanded. The large man lost his humor and frowned at Tom as he handed him the bulky plasma rifle used in all-out war situations. 

Tom heaved over the weight and hauled it over to his shooting position. It took him all of ten minutes just to get the thing turned on and carefully aimed at the target 150 feet away. _What am I doing? I don't need to aim with this thing. _Tom thought briefly, and he fired.

The large blue beam of energy came out with so much force that he was knocked back, and stopped shooting quickly. Almost everyone was laughing at him and the mess he made of the shooting gallery 150 feet away.

"Hey, that wasn't bad. But I'll show you a trick to workin' that thing," said a voice from a new person in the gallery. Tom glanced up at his audience member who happened to see his clumsiness too.

The person was average height, with brown hair combed straight downwards, he wore a familiar armor suit Tom had seen on the Federation's best warriors. He had his own blaster in a holster. And offered Tom his hand to help him up.

"You always shoot like that? Just gotta hold your footing, that's all. Oh, and it helps to aim – I think more than the dummy got some of that."

Tom glanced over at the wreck of twisted metal at the end of the gallery. The new guy was right, a lot more _had_ bought the farm. Basically, the whole back end of the gallery was blown open and a warm breeze from outside could be felt. 

"Uh…not really. I'd like to see how you do handle a plasma rifle though. I'm just out here for the kicks." Tom said shyly, feeling the attention towards him being destroyed.

"Well let's see what I've got to shoot at…" the new man started off.

"Hey newcomer, this should do your fancy!" yelled Harvey from the bar. He pressed a button on the computer panel in front of him, and a large, heavy, metal alloy dummy replica of Ridley was lowered into the gallery. Apparently, Ridley was not praised everywhere on the planet.

The man just smiled, and picked up the plasma rifle like it was nothing. He hauled it on his shoulders and spoke calmly to his audience. 

"Now, you focus the energy in one spot, charge it up for a few seconds – don't overpower it. And aim carefully…" then he fired.

He didn't even flinch under the recoil. 

A new blast of red energy burst out towards the Ridley dummy. It impacted and exploded in a hellfire of flames and shrapnel flying towards them. Everyone ducked for cover, but somehow it was not needed, as the rifleman just stood there…and the explosion did not even come halfway to reaching them. As the dust cleared, the Ridley dummy was not even there anymore!

"There. That's how you fire a plasma rifle with the punch you want."

He spoke softly, and swirled the rifle on his pinky finger alone and handed it professionally to Tom. Everyone was stunned. Including Hardy, who dropped his sub sandwich as he saw what the new talent was capable of. He'd lost his lunch and his appetite after finding his recruit.

### Chapter 2: Winter Leave

"WHAT?! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?"

"Really, Ms. Aran, you should know by now that I'm just too good."

"Hyuk Hyuk. Very funny, I'll get you this time Ry."

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?!"

Samus and Ridley grasped the tiny controllers of the Nintendo 64 as they raged on and on about how much they could whup each other in the game they were playing, _Super Smash Brothers_, and Samus couldn't stand being beaten with her own character. Ridley on the other hand, was enjoying his plight, and tried continuously to convince Samus to play one more round.

Old pals of the war six months ago, they somewhat enjoyed each other's presence, since there was no war, and they and Houston were on leave until spring. (They were on Earth, January of 2637.) Though Samus never really understood the purpose of video games, she had time to relax and get to know her old rival.

"Ry, it's what everyone knows you as around here; you wouldn't know. Besides, you don't want to ruin another controller, do you?"

It was true, As Ridley looked down, he saw what had once been his controller with three handles, now only had one. He remembered breaking something during their game. Well, he still had the buttons left.

"Clumsy things, these controllers, they break so easily. Why weren't they made large enough for me?" Ridley pretended to complain. Samus played along. "They never thought of the galaxy's most dangerous being interested in video games. But you should've told Hardy – he could've cooked something up." 

"No way! Not Hardy! That oaf couldn't cook up a tomato soup."

Ridley and Samus burst into laughter, and they nearly fell over thinking of how obese Hardy had become. He may have been the chief officer of the Federation, but he had an appetite larger than his paycheck. But he kept everything in order. Only when Hardy and Houston walked into Samus' lounge, did they become a little startled. Hardy looked a little confused and angry with his best bounty hunters employed in the Federation; Houston followed Hardy in, hiding a explosion of laughter from Hardy.

"What was it that I couldn't cook up for you? Samus, Ridley?"

Hardy looked serious, but you could tell he had enjoyed the pair's sense of humor. "Well, sir, uh…" Ridley stalled, nudging Samus it was her turn to suck up to Hardy. She cleared her throught, "Sir, with all do respect, we were saying how unsanitary McDonalds' food has been becoming, and we agreed that you couldn't cook up such crap anyway, since we all like your cooking…" she was about to go on, but Hardy stopped her.

"Not a word, I'll let it go this time; but watch you mouth Ridley, you can't hid it from me. Now, I just brought Houston home from an interview in a recruit bounty hunter. Houston will tell you after lunch." 

Ridley gulped as he swallowed hard. "LUNCH?" was all he could muster.

Samus interrupted in Ridley's fear asking, "YOU'RE cooking US lunch?!"

Hardy stared at her and forced a sarcastic scowl. "I know you have strong feelings for my tomato soup, but Houston thought that we should take a break from it, and try some of his homemade pancakes." Hearing this, everyone groaned.

*****

On the marine planet of Acuar, a lone luxury cruiser floated above the waves that dominated the planet. On board was the planet's ambassador for the Galactic Federation. Her name was Leslie Gentes. She was a large woman, but she looked cheerful with her styled blond hair and blue-green dress. Nobody thought the least of her, and she like to listen to operas, theater performances, and keep the peace on her planet; as well as the tourism since the water world of a planet was a simple, yet elegant planet to be seen. She had gone to her quarters, just coming back from an on-deck opera. She had not taken several steps then when blaster fire was heard on the decks above.

"Oh my goodness, I wonder what kind of pirate band is attacking us now."

Before she could think about where to go for safety, about a dozen Federation soldiers lined up in her room and one step forward.

"Leslie Gentes, the Ambassador of Acuar?"

Leslie replied with much authority in her voice. "Yes, what is this all about? Have you come to protect me?"

The man nodded quickly, and several troops near the doorway were suddenly startled and moved out of the room and took cover in the adjacent hallway. Blaster fire had reached their current level, and was coming dangerously close. "Hurry, we must get you off the ship. Where are the landing bays?" he was suave and rather casual as he spoke in the midst of blaster fire. "Top deck, area 3. You seem pretty calm about all this, soldier."

The man smiled under his helmet. "Well, milady, I've saved metroids and men both, and it is an honor to escort you out of this blast furnace. You're to come with me to the Alpha Centauri Space Station, where you will be protected thoroughly." He said it almost so fast, he might have memorized the whole bit. "Well, thank you. Before we get out, what may I call you by?"

The soldier in the chozo-suit simply answered, "Laguna Ater."

Then he took out his plasma rifle, turned it on, and ushered Miss Gentes out of the fray to Docking Bay 3 on the top deck. He didn't notice that all of his men were nearly gone, and that several lightly-armored space pirates rushed down the hallway to Miss Gentes' room and split up to look for the survivors.

*****

Samus and Houston took a drive to the Federation Police HQ, where Hardy's BIG office was, and all the other biggies of the Federation's enforcement troops handled civilian problems, (or tried to handle them), and just what the police does now hasn't changed much. 

Houston's black and shiny T-Bird was rather conspicuous in the streets of Washington D.C. Samus didn't have or grow up with a passion for old 20th century cars like Houston did. They were going to get to the launch pad to get to the famed Alpha Centauri Space Station, where they would protect some ambassador from a planet far, far away. Simple enough.

Ridley said he'd catch up with them later. The pancakes earlier made him sick to his stomach, and was out like an elephant on Samus' couch already too small for him. And Hardy said a little about a third bounty hunter to add to their small group. Both weren't very excited or in the mood. Some new guy cut their vacation short. They'd show him who were the best shots in the galaxy. He'd see. He'd see.


	2. Laguna Ater

# Chapter 3: Laguna Ater

** **

The flight was rather uninteresting; the advanced ship then had simply taken off unlike the massive rockets that propelled the 20th century's shuttles. But Samus never took the time to notice that. They had a job to do. 

Hardy briefed them along the way. 

"Okay, is everyone here? I guess not – where's Ridley?" Hardy was a bit more excited than usual. Samus didn't even flinch as she talked, "He got a stomach-ache. He'll arrive shortly after us. Now, what do we have to do?"

she was getting impatient. Hardy understood and glanced at Houston, who was apparently taking a nap. "Okay…whatever. You already know that your leave has been cut short because an interesting person has saved the life of Acuar's Federation Ambassador. In fact, he took out an entire battalion of space pirates by himself. You might like him." Hardy seemed confident enough to think this new guy was pretty good. _Okay, I check him out. _Samus thought as she dozed off to sleep while Hardy just kept mumbling on and on about how important the new bounty hunter would be to them…

*****

Keaton's plan was going right according to plan. Laguna would get his welcome party, he be introduced to Samus and Houston, and they'd go do bounty hunter stuff. He too, didn't have much on his mind when there wasn't an intergalactic war going on. Simply put, he was bored.

But his day brightened up when he actually met this Laguna Ater. 

He knew how to play just about every Earth sport well, (not that Keaton could play sports), was a master gunman, and was just all-around cheerful and polite. The perfect bounty hunter…maybe it was him. 

Keaton met him in the only remaining ballroom on the station. When it was being refurnished to suit the party's needs, he ran into Laguna as he was directing how much helium should be put into the balloons. 

Papers from Keaton's bulletin board flew everywhere.

"What?! Awww, crap…why you little…" Keaton started off.

"Oh, excuse me! I'm sorry about your paperwork chairman, here, I'll pick them up for you." Laguna, bowed slightly and quickly picked up all of Keaton's papers. Laguna looked at one of them.

"Hey, you're doing research on metroids?" Laguna asked, surprised.

"Yeah. I'm kinda in the dust about those things Samus keeps complaining about. I'm trying to find some remaining databanks on metroids. But there aren't that many out there after the wars with the space pirates." Keaton looked lost and disappointed at himself.

"Awwww, come on chairman, don't lose hope. There's gotta be some information out there worth looking at. In fact, I have some in my ships' databanks. I could get it to you." Laguna talked casually as if he had fought metroids for a living. 

"YOU have information. Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh, can you please get some info to me…please?! Hey, where'd you learn so much about metroids?" Keaton looked like he could shake Laguna's hand like Abraham Lincoln.

"Well…I visited SR388 with hope of finding something out, way back before Samus eradicated them. I didn't get much in hopes of written information all at once, I fought through their planetary defenses, and destroyed over a hundred with my charge beam alone…"

And so on and so forth. Keaton was eating up all of this and looked like he had finally met his childhood hero. Laguna was about to get to the part where me made contact the metroid queen, when the intercom shouted at Keaton. "CHAIRMAN KEATON, YOU ARE LATE IN ARRIVING AT DOCKING BAY 311, SAMUS ARAN AND ARMSTRONG HOUSTON ARE WAITING FOR YOUR WELCOME AND PERMISSION TO COME ABOARD. PLEASE ASSIST THEM IMMEDIATELY. THANK YOU."

Keaton, got an annoyed look oh his face. "Fiddlesticks, I have to go. I can't wait to talk to you at the party, Laguna. But I have to see the other two bounty hunters in the galaxy." Keaton shrugged and walked out quickly, yet glumly. Laguna wasn't letting him go that easy. "HEY! That's not a problem, I can walk with you as you go there. I could tell you more about the metroid queen and then I could meet Samus and Houston too. Will that be fine, chairman?" He ran to catch up to Keaton. 

"Really? That would great Laguna." Keaton cheered up and slowed his pace. "Yeah, like I was saying, I met the queen metroid with no real intention to destroy her and all, but she had the idea that…"

And so they talked on, walking as slow as snails to docking bay 311. 

**Chapter 4: The Fine Arts Festival**

** **

Samus and Houston waited a long time for Keaton to get to the docking bay hey were at. They figured he forgot what their ships looked like. So they waited. And they did that, waiting. Hardy was also waiting, since he needed directions to the nearest Subway restaurant. He tried asking the occasional troop that walked by, but was ignored completely.

"HEY! Why are you guys just sitting there? WHERE'S KEATON?!"

Samus, Houston and Hardy jumped and looked behind them to the open docking bay to see who would be so loud as to yell at them.

"Say something people! Those pancakes won't take me out for that long. Even Houston should know that by now." Their eavesdropper stifled a biting cackle that only Samus knew for so long. Houston wasn't amused. 

"Ridley, what a pleasant surprise. Please sit down and help us wait for Keaton to come by."

Ridley looked lost. "Huh? I thought there would some welcoming committee, at least for me." Ridley grabbed a nearby couch, the largest one in the waiting room, and laid down and relaxed a bit. "So where is the little jellybean chairman?" Ridley tried to sound cool. Samus just glared at him. 

Ridley got the idea. Then they all heard a faint chattering sound of commotion. They shrugged it off for a while, but then looked down the hall and saw what would've been Keaton with a lifetime's supply of homework and scribbling down things occasionally and to look up his lecturer. An average sized man was walking with him talking endlessly about some adventure he'd been on.

They gang jumped off their comfy couches and got in Federation order. By rank. Ridley may have saved Gul'Gen, but he didn't quite make it very far in the Federation Navy. So he stood behind Samus, like a back up.

Keaton didn't even notice them, and apparently kept walking and talking to Laguna, just kept walking, right past their docking bay doors. 

"HEY!! Over here, Keaton!" Samus yelled. Then everyone tightened up and made their best Federation salute after six months of leave. Keaton and Laguna ran back towards them and saluted clumsily before introducing each other. 

"Uh…welcome to the Alpha Centauri Space Station. I am ChairmanKeaton of the Galactic Federation, and I hope your trip went well…" he went on as he exhaled the entire Federation welcoming speech. "…and most of all, please make yourself at…wait a sec! What was it?" Keaton mumbled about as he tried to remember the last part of the speech.

"Forget it, Keaton, we know how interested you are to see us. Just show us to our offices." Samus interrupted, and looked at Laguna. "Who's this?"

"This," said Keaton straightening up, "is Laguna Ater. He's the Federation's recruit, and he'll be your partner until we decide what rank to put him in the Federation Navy." Laguna waved a cheerful hello, "Hi guys." He didn't seem too interested in them either. Keaton went on, "This is the famous Samus Aran, her brother Armstrong Houston, and you know Hardy already…" Laguna then shook hands with everyone, not noticing Ridley until Samus stepped aside to let Ridley get some handshakes too. Ridley never was one for handshakes, being a dragon and all. He could crush the poor guys hand without meaning it. Not that he'd care at all, but you know.

Laguna's eyes bulged as he saw Ridley and raised his arm cannon.

"Everyone get back! This dragon is dangerous and should not be here. He charged his wave beam on cue and didn't seem to notice the fact that Ridley _is _a dragon. Laguna didn't think before shooting.

He only let out one shot before the dragon pinned him to the floor.

"EXCUSE ME, HUMAN. BUT NO GUNFIRE IS PERMITTED ON THIS DECK OF THE SPACE STATION. SO GET AROUND IT OR GET TO THE DOCTOR." Ridley made his point, and didn't even notice the light scratch the wave beam made on his face. He let him go and let Samus do the talking so she let Laguna have it. "DUDE! Simmer down, he's on _our _side, get it? Where have you been for the last eight months?" She silently threatened him and was halted by Keaton. "Please, please! Everyone is a part of the Galactic Federation here. Ridley, you may play with Laguna in the battle arena after the party." Samus looked quizzical. "A _party_? HERE? For who is it so important to use Susan Franklin's ball room for a party?"

"Why for Laguna of course! I mean, the galaxy is getting tired of parties when Samus and Houston once again save the world. They want a new hero, isn't that right Laguna?" Keaton retorted.

"On the contrary, I'd like very much for Samus and her brother to get whatever credit they deserve, as long as I'm not ignored completely. Samus, Houston, I'll show you to your new quarters. Uh…" Laguna hesitated looking at Ridley, "…Keaton, could you show Ridley his new Spartan quarters. Maybe he'd be a bit more comfortable with you showing him around. OK?" Laguna wave bye and began showing brother and sister the modifications to the space station. Ridley and Keaton looked at each other; they never really knew each other at all. 

"So, you said you made some changes to my quarters?" Ridley growled.

Keaton gulped, as he sheepishly walked off in the other direction to show Ridley around.

*****

Leslie Gentes liked very much the luxury of the rooms the Federation honored her with. But what she liked even more was the Fine Arts Festival the Federation was holding in her honor that night. And that Laguna, he was something else. He really knew how to excite a woman. Seeing he help her to the docking bay on her hovercraft on Acuar, watching him clear our entire hallways full of space pirates. And making crack shot jokes every once in a while. She really had fun.

She got dressed into her finest wardrobe, her shiny teal dress that made here look really important. And she was. But she worried about her home planet, and what the Federation actually planned on doing to help her get her planet back. 

She made sure her make-up was on right, and left her quarters for the Fine Arts Festival that she looked forward to so much.

*****

As Samus walked into the ballroom, she was astonished at how many well-dressed people the Federation had come up with. Tuxedo, gown, tuxedo, dress, tuxedo, top hat… the whole shoot and match. She was dressed in a beautiful white dress with a 16th century look to it that made her look like a princess. Arm-in-arm with her, Houston wore the most gentleman-looking tuxedo he could, and he looked a lot younger than he was. He carried about a walking cane like the dukes and princes in old earth's London. 

They strolled down the steps and found a table near the marble dance floor. A lot of people were dancing, and everyone they knew were there.

Keaton in the fanciest brown robe he could (even thought it's always brown)

And was talking with Laguna; who in fact, wasn't properly dressed for the occasion, with a tie-dyed shirt and pink sunglasses, a multi-colored headband, and bell-bottoms – he looked a little rude for the occasion. 

Hardy was found dancing with his wife on the marble floor, and wearing possibly the best tuxedo in the whole ballroom. It made him look a lot less obese. What surprised her was Ridley, who was sitting on the top balcony overlooking the whole party. 

Ridley was wearing a tuxedo too. How the suitors made one the right size and shape, she didn't know, but Ridley was stunning. He wore a tuxedo with the usual black overcoat; and a top hat sitting right on top of his sleek head.

He even wore a glass eyepiece. He looked like the prince of England with a bad sunburn problem. 

Samus just stared at him. He stared back and smiled. She mouthed out the words _What are you doing? _He cocked an eyebrow at her and mouthed back _Enjoying the party of course. _She shook her head in disbelief and ignored his presence way up high. 

The music had stopped. The dance floor was empty.

The lights dimmed and the stage was lit up in a shower of white light from the spotlights. A slightly large, but pretty woman walked on stage. She stood in front of the microphone and cleared her throat. 

"Welcome one and all to the Federation's first Fine Arts Festival held on the Alpha Centauri Space Station. I am Leslie Gentes, the ambassador of Acuar, and I am pleased to introduce Laguna Ater, who has brought me here from the danger of my planet that has been run over by space pirates."

Everyone clapped and cheered as Laguna Ater bowed in front of the audience and sat back down to listen to Miss Gentes. Ridley looked troubled. He had heard much about space pirates since he joined Samus. He continued to listen 

"I am not here to lecture you about my planet's problems, I am here to give everyone at the Galactic Federation a good time. But first, will the couple of Samus Aran and Armstrong Houston please take to the dance floor, and enjoy the love couple dance number together. Ladies and Gentlemen, the two most important people in the galaxy, as they enjoy another day of vacation!"

Samus and Houston glanced at each other, they never really thought too much of their family relationship, and never really got close to each other, but now was the time to enjoy it, 

The spotlight turned to them, and the light globe came down and reflected light on to the walls and audience as it revolved. Samus and Houston got, up and walked on to the dance floor and danced quietly to the soft music in the background. They got to know each other better from then on.

Too bad it couldn't last forever. The night was almost over, and the audience was falling asleep. But that's what the on looking spy wanted, and he'd strike soon, so very soon.


	3. Party Pooper

**Chapter 5: Party Pooper**

** **

Samus and Houston had been dancing for a while, about 10 minutes. Then the music made a homestretch and slowly ended. Samus and Houston only had about a minute left of enjoyment left. 

"Houston…" Samus whispered in his ear, "I want to meet you."

"Huh? But I'm right here." Houston whispered back.

"No…not really meeting you, I want to get to know you…"

Before he could answer, the music faded and the lights turned back on. Then the audience clapped loudly for them. 

Leslie Gentes stood up on the stage and clapped shortly before saying, "Okay, Okay, very good Samus – Houston. We are glad you're enjoying this night. Now would you all please enjoy the night and wait for our next dance couple! Thank you!" She stood down and took a seat at a table near the stage. Houston and Samus sat down and watched the groups of couples dance in graceful circles in unison with the music. 

Samus looked around and tried to find some familiar faces to talk with. Then she remembered. She looked up at Ridley perched on the balcony. He grinned at her and pretended to clap silently.She felt herself get a little red. He laughed as he saw the look on her face. 

_Wait until Hardy hears about this, he'll be hysterical! _Ridley thought as he might as well start some confusion about Samus and Houston together.

*****

It was early in morning, and the festival lasted throughout the night with not a single person getting sleepy. Ridley was obviously bored, since there was no one to terrorize without getting punished by Keaton. 

Leslie Gentes was talking with Keaton about having dinner later that night with the rest of his family, perhaps. Hardy was doing a weird boogey dance that made him look larger than he was, but he seemed to be enjoying the party. But something was missing.

Houston may have been dozing off, but Samus could tell that something else other than her date was missing. Then it hit her.

Laguna. That wacko had missed her dance with Houston, an excellent opportunity to mock her, and had missed out on every minute of Miss Gentes' speech. She was about to wake Houston up to help her look for Laguna, when a deafening loud crash came from above.

The glass skylight in the interior framework of the station had been shattered, and down came a heavily armored space pirate. The pirate spotted Ridley quickly and hissed at him. Then it started blasting everything in sight.

Houston woke up and didn't ask what was going on. He took out his blaster pistol, as did Samus, and they fired at the pirate.

The pirate, seeing that he had competitors, gave a little screech and in seconds, a flood of space pirates came down and seemed to turn the tables on Samus and Houston. But that wasn't so bad.

An inhuman roar came from up high, and Ridley threw off his tuxedo and top hat, and flew down into the pirate crowd. He had claws slashing and fire blazing in no time; but for each pirate he killed, more reinforcements would come in from high. He was quickly overwhelmed and backed onto the stage near Leslie Gentes. They didn't notice her yet. Ridley yelled at her behind him, "GET OUT OF HERE! IT'S YOU THEY WANT!" He quickly impaled a stray pirate with his tail.

Leslie Gentes knew when to run, and she ran faster than a track star on that slightly overweight body. She made it to the exit before Ridley could turn back to check if she was running to the door or not. 

Just when another pirate army came in, the entrance doors flew open.

Laguna, in his new suit, got all the attention he wanted. The pirates all stopped and chased after him; about two hundred pirates total. But he wasn't worried. He charged up his unusual arm cannon and fired several added spazer and what looked like a weak hyper beam at them all. Before the first one got within ten feet of him, they were all gone. He had cleared them all out. A cheer of Federation officers rose throughout the theater. All the audience rushed towards him faster than the pirates did and carried him above their heads and out the hallway. This left Ridley, Samus, and Houston in a very messy ballroom. All of them were confused of what had just happened here so quickly. "Who is this guy?" was what Samus had to say and thought about it. 

"I don't get it. He came here just at the right time, just when we were gonna lose. How'd he know when? And where'd he get that kind of technology, only the chozo have that kind of weaponry." Houston explained. He had a point. Ridley continued the idea. "Not _just _the chozo. When I was raiding planet back in my the old days, I had recovered technology just like that on chozo planets. Maybe he got it from the pirates…" he said. Samus quickly interrupted, "No…why would they sell the technology they knew would kill them?" But Ridley already had the answer to that question.

"If he was on their side, he'd have access to the technology, he would know where to be at what time, all just to make himself more popular. But what's in it for the pirates? I always got about three fourths of the deal, but then again, the space pirates no longer have a great leader…" Samus interrupted him, "We know already, Ridley. We're talking about Laguna, here." That made them think about this and completely forgot about Miss Gentes or the promotion Laguna was getting from Keaton. It was very likely that Laguna was working with the pirates…but who would really believe them?

# Chapter 6: Imposter

** **

Keaton was having a field day; his Fine Arts Festival was crashed by a band of space pirates, had his butt saved by Laguna, and had this time _two _promotions to make to Laguna, who would soon be Samus' commanding officer, as a well as Houston's. 

This time, Laguna did not stay around after celebrations to give autographs or continue his story about his visit on SR388. He had locked himself in his quarters and strictly told everyone not to bother him. Of course, everyone left him alone, 'since their hero had a long day and needed some time to himself…' and so on. What struck Samus hard was the fact that Laguna had accused Ridley of bringing the space pirates in the station, and got close to yelling at Samus. Hardy, still not converted by Laguna's charms, defended Ridley; and had it not been his position in the Federation, he would have been starved as a punishment, (his idea of a punishment.)

Keaton was fiddling with his stack of paperwork, as usual, when a buzzer greeted him at his desk. 

"Who is it?" he called, not caring who it was.

"Your mother, Keaton – let me in, we need to talk." Came a voice from behind the door. 

Keaton woke up out of his paperwork trance and yelled at Samus.

"Well hurry up then!" he was not happy to see just her. 

Samus busted in and coolly sat down in the chair and slammed the door behind her. She looked pleased to some extent. 

"You wanted something Miss Aran?" Keaton said with as much authority as he could muster up to the bounty hunter.

"Yeah. I wanted your apology. You didn't believe Ridley when he said he didn't bring on that pirate band. It just isn't in Ridley to do it. The only thing is that he is…" she got louder as she spoke.

"GUILTY! How dare you intrude into my office and make a mockery of me! Get out before I call Security to detain both you _and _Ridley. Be happy that you aren't the spy!" Keaton almost exploded in the rage at Samus, and that took Samus by surprise.

"That doesn't surprise me, though, since the Federation is all too interested in Laguna that it can't think straight or even bring fairly those to justice that need it. Good day, chairman." Sand she walked out and slammed the door on her way out.

Keaton didn't know whether Samus had another hatchling depression, or was just trying to get attention. But it certainly wasn't Laguna to be worried about.He had far more expectations for him. _Besides, _he thought, _how trustworthy is a dragon anyways?_ He answered that thought by calling security.

*****

"It's hopeless, Keaton is totally convinced that Ridley is the spy in our midst. I think I just provoked him to call security sooner. I'm worried for Ridley." 

"It's ok, Samus, we can just hold Keaton hostage until Laguna gives in, eh?"

Samus chuckled a bit as Houston cheered her up.

"You see, we have the advantage…we're the two most unpopular bounty hunters in the galaxy now, and we can join forces with a wanted dragon to convince the Federation that they're wrong. I've got it all planned out. Ok?"

She was in bed with him and they were talking as they sat on the edge of their blorff-size bed. Houston hadn't slept in a big bed for months.

"And what would that plan be?" Samus said with no life at all.

"We could…take the day off…" Houston managed to say before he fell face-first into the mattress. Samus soon followed suit, and the sandman was working the living daylights into their heads. 

*****

That evening, Samus and Houston were well rested and were ready to execute their day's worth of investigation, provided they aren't found out with their day off and all.

Samus got onto the kitchen table in her quarters and simply took off the grating from the skylight in the ceiling. She climbed into her room's framework, and was 5 feet away from the vacuum of space. She helped Houston up and she led the way. They were traveling above all the hallways and rooms in the 4 feet of room between the visible ceiling and the outer armoring of the station. When she neared another room with a skylight, very similar to hers, she stopped and hushed Houston to be very, very quiet. 

They both peeked in over the edge of the skylight and looked into the room that they were looking for.

It was very messy inside, with pillows and sheets all over the place, and the television facing the wall while against it. Certainly not Laguna's room. But they changed their minds when a new sight caught their eye.

There he was, in full battle armor, Laguna was in front of a laptop on his bedroom desk. He spoke to the computer and it answered him in some weird language. They tried to listen in on the conversation.

"…yes, yes, the planet is all yours…………nope, I'll notify you again in about two months."

An outraged sound of warbles and squeaks came from the speakers.

"Hey! Ok…ok…do what…want me to do………I'll be there for it."

The computer suddenly shut off and Laguna breathed out a heavy sigh. Then he just stopped. He didn't appear to be breathing when he slowly turned towards the skylight. Samus and Houston popped their heads back around the edge and lay down flat to the floor. 

"Huh?! Who's there?" Laguna said in a confused and yet scared tone.

He didn't know if there were any boogey men in the ventilation shafts of the space station. He soon backed away from the grate and laid down on his bed and pretended to look relaxed, something on his mind.

Samus peeked around one more time and saw what she needed to prove her theory about Laguna's betrayal… the space pirate logo was on the back of the laptop, and obviously out of site from anyone looking in through the front door. Keaton and his investigation crew missed a lot. If they even came, that is.

Samus poked at Houston, who was taking a nap, and pointed at the laptop in Laguna's room. He stared at her. She pointed at it again. 

Houston looked at it and smiled. He pointed back out the way they came imploringly. Samus smiled back and nodded. They both backed away, and made their way back. 

Then Houston accidentally tripped over the air conditioner unit in Laguna's room, causing a big boom on the metallic ceiling. And a high-pitched, almost girly scream came from his room. "AAAAAAAAAAH!!!! Help me! Help me! There's a monster in the air conditioner!!! HEEEEEEEEEELP!!!!" Enough racket was coming from his room that Samus and Houston could have held a marathon to her room and not a sound of it would reach past his room. 

_There's one for the scrapbook. Say, the galaxy's dumbest criminals would just eat this one up. _Samus thought as the Federations hero was afraid of the boogey man. They day wasn't so bad after all.

*****

Keaton didn't know why Laguna would wake him up in the night to tell him that a monster was in the air conditioner unit of his room. For once, Keaton didn't believe him, but tried to calm him down by telling him that he would get bounty if he did find one in the air conditioner, which would be no problem for a bounty hunter as good as him. Laguna, relaxed after hearing this and straightened up. The he started his hero act all over again.

*****

Keaton wasn't having very much fun with Laguna, though this time, Laguna had claimed that a Metroid was in his air conditioner. He didn't like Laguna's sense of humor and ignored him this time. Though Laguna hated the shrill chirp of the metroid in his room that went off about every minute or so, he couldn't get to sleep. 

Samus and Houston almost laughed out loud as they recalled attaching a recorder to Laguna's air conditioner timer. Every minute, the unit would give off a few recorded sounds of the metroid's infamous chirp. The made plenty sure Keaton wasn't enjoying Laguna's presence at his quarters every ten minutes. _Laguna's acting as a bounty hunter is terrible compared to even Schneider back then._

__Schneider was a dishonest and not very trustworthy bounty hunter that had worked for the Kihunters and died with them. At least he actually knew how the job was carried out. Perhaps the upcoming mission would soften Laguna up.

*****


	4. Acuar

**Chapter 7: Acuar**

During the briefing next morning, Samus and Houston ready to go, and Ridley was forbidden to go with them. But all was not lost. Laguna looked like he didn't have any sleep last night (which he didn't'), and was frequently looking over his shoulder or behind him. The whine of Samus charge beam made him jumpy, and he became annoyed with Keaton.

Keaton finished briefing them on the end of their vacation.

"Right. Down to the mission. You all know of the pirate attack on the Fine Arts Festival 3 days ago. Apparently, it was identified by Laguna here that they were after Leslie Gentes to kill her. We don't know why, but Laguna will explain on the way if you wish. 

" You three are going to Acuar with Miss Gentes. There you are to eliminate the pirate control on the planet and it's capital city, Atlantis. She will accompany you to learn from the help the Federation has to offer, and will assist you in getting access to the city. From what she told us, the city is deep beneath the waters' surface, and has only three entrances, two that are available to us. That is all."

Samus and Houston understood it all and were expecting a good luck from Keaton, but he didn't go on.

Laguna coughed roughly, "What about my promotion chairman?"

Keaton went bug-eyed and he finally remembered. 

"Oh, yes. Thank you Laguna. Just recently, due to Laguna's superior behavior at the Fine Arts Festival, _and _for saving it as well, he had been promoted to Lieutenant and will be commanding the mission as well as issuing orders to both of you for the good of the mission. But above all, Miss Gentes leads the way and makes the decisions."

Laguna didn't catch that last part too well, and, as if on cue, Leslie Gentes, in full dress, stepped onto the docking elevator as the doors opened. _That's odd. I didn't know this was an elevator. I didn't even feel us moving at all. _Samus thought after she greeted Miss Gentes with a short bow and handshake. Houston was used to this, and gave Miss Gentes his best hearty hello and handshake yet. Leslie was charmed by this, and then paid her attention to Keaton. The elevator then shuddered, and it seemed as it something had fallen on top of it in the shaft. They paid it no heed.

Keaton waved them farewell, and found himself mysteriously shoved into the ladies room outside the docking bay. It was like someone pushed him in, but no one was there – just him and the elevator. He clumsily got up and pushed the button; the door opened to a completely flattened elevator box.

*****

The flight was uneventful for Samus. She got really tired of tales of Laguna saving this planet, and that. Of Laguna owning the first cell of energy produced from a metroid. Of Laguna saying how much he like the architecture of the city of Atlantis. 

Apparently, Miss Gentes was too. She had lived through a lot of lawyers and ambassadors that wished to trade with her planet, they but were rejected because they sucked up to her too much. She learned to ignore those kinds of people, and did the same with Laguna.

This greatly annoyed Laguna, and he soon stopped talking and had a faint fiery glow in his eyes. "Not long now…" he whispered.

They finally reached the planet's surface, and the system's sun was shining on the waters and made it look so pure and crystallic. But the city could not be seen even with the sun being right over it. The only part of the city was the landing bay that floated on the surface. Samus and Houston were not allowed to bring their ships, (since Keaton figured Laguna's was enough), and he landed it with precision. Miss Gentes was surprised.

"I didn't know you had reserved a parking space in my city! That's very talented of you to think ahead so much." She exclaimed.

Samus and Houston heeded to his, and their support to Laguna's betrayal was growing stronger. _Maybe he had this all planned out. _Samus figured, and she charged her cannon with missiles, super missiles, and power bombs, since this was going to be a rough time getting in. Houston had done the same, and Miss Gentes was awed at the raw technology Samus had acquired on Zebes. Then the passenger hatch opened and they all climbed out. 

It was dead silent on the docking bay. All except for the sound of the waves splashing against the sides of the barge. They all walked slowly towards the elevator hut in the center of the landing bay. Laguna foolishly ran forward and shot a missile into the doors, and hopped in the elevator. He went down without saying anything and left them at the surface. 

"Wait!" Samus shouted. It obviously didn't help, since Laguna was gone and probably on his way to saving the world by himself.

"How rude! He just blasted the property of my city and ran ahead without my say-so. If you ask me, I don't trust him anymore. He could be planning all this just to trap us. Oh, what's the use, nobody will believe…"

"Hey! You think he's the spy too?!" Samus and Houston shouted in unison.

"What?! You too? Goodness, I guess he isn't so good at hiding his work is he? Thank you for supporting my cause, Samus, Houston." Leslie Gentes said, and was about to hug them all when hordes of space pirates flooded out of the elevator, now at surface level.

Samus and Houston unloaded on them with their wave beams and covered Miss Gentes by putting her between them. Back-to-back, they slowly made their way to the elevator. Once inside the shaft of the elevator, the doors would not close and the pirates were beginning to focus their energy in the doorway. All seemed lost.

Then a large hellfire explosion blasted through the pirate ranks and a loud roar heard outside. In a matter of seconds, the entire army of pirates was taken out. Samus, Houston, and Miss Gentes looked outside the elevator, expecting Ridley to pull off a cheesy joke, but he wasn't there.

"Maybe the King of the Seas showed mercy to us…naw." Miss Gentes started, but then remembered the eradication of the polar krakens long ago. The elevator controls worked finally, and the doors closed slowly.

Though Samus could have sworn she had seen a pair of glowing, yellow eyes at the end of the landing pad. But the transparisteel walls of the elevator showed a grand undersea world of living creatures. It wasall too much to describe. "Wow…" Houston said in amazement. "This is beautiful!" said Samus. 

"Yes, our city gets a lot of tourism from this planet, as well as our heavily defended military installations deep on the ocean floor. Even the strongest laser cannons can't reach the depth of our city. Wait 'till you see it. You'll just love it. And you'll then understand how important this planet is to the galaxy." Miss Gentes sighed and reached into her only dress pocket.

She pulled out a missile rifle, just small enough to conceal in her dress. Samus was astonished that such a peaceful woman would carry missiles just like hers around with her.

"Then again, planetary assaults and assassinations are common, and this is only a fraction of _my _anti-terrorist arsenal. So, like I was saying, let's get back the city! Let's kick some pirate ass!"

Samus felt relieved that they now weren't protecting some helpless civilian now, and that they had another weapon on their side. And a confident person holding it at that. 

By now, the elevator had gone go so deep that all the water around them had gone a deep, dark blue. But a bright light shining below them promised them a good time in their visit at Atlantis.

The city was amazing beyond words and comprehension. There were crystal towers and skyscrapers, transparent glass tubes of roads and highways looping around the city. Grand towers and palaces dominated the core of the city, and several donut-shaped layers of glass separated the levels of the city itself. Even the nature around the city seemed to grow in harmony with it.

As they reached the ocean floor, the actual landing station was on the edge of an abysmal cliff. It seemed like hundreds of thousands of miles of glass tubing roads to get to the city. When they got off, they stepped onto a catwalk above a large aquarium housing some very big fish.

"WELCOME TO ATLANTIS LOADING STATION. PLEASE MAKE SURE ALL YOUR BELONGINGS ARE WITH YOU AND PLEASE STEP INTO THE MONORAIL AVAILABLE TO YOU AND ENJOY YOU STAY AT ATLANTIS. THANK YOU, AND HAVE A GREAT DAY." Said a monotonously computerized voice from the nearby speakers and it seemed to Houston as if he was waiting in line for some Disneyland ride. They all stepped onto the front monorail car, and they sat in the front row of seats. 

Once everyone was on, the doors closed, locked, and locked with the air pressure. Then it sped off to the glowing city. 

"Where actually _is _the city?" Samus asked as she dared to look down.

"It's on a crystalloid alloy pillar that stand 200 miles high from the bottom of the abyss. It's literally on stilts, but its location in the center of the abyss makes it hard to attack, on the monorail is the only way to reach it."

Samus shivered as she looked back down the bottomless abyss. She didn't want to know what lay at the bottom. Neither did Houston. Miss Gentes smiled at them and closed her eyes as she went to sleep.

Hours later, they arrived just outside the city. They all jerked awake and charged their weapons as they prepared to meet Laguna and his goons.

The doors opened, and the gang opened fire. 

There were what seemed to be millions of space pirates waiting in ambush in front of the loading dock. Deck by deck, Samus, Houston, and Miss Gentes made their way to the heavy gates of the city. The gates seemed a mile high, and before Houston could manage a futile knock on the door, they all passed out cold.

# Chapter 8: Ridley

** **

As soon as Ridley watched in astonishment as Laguna and the space pirates brought in Samus, Houston, and Miss Gentes and closed the massive steel doors on him.

Now Ridley had helped them up to that point, now he had to get access to the city. Only the Federation could do that. Only Keaton.

Ridley reluctantly flew all the way back through the glass tubing and too the landing bay on the surface. He took off faster than a lightning bolt and zoomed to the Alpha Centauri space station. He didn't have high hopes.

*****

Samus woke up with a bad headache. She remembers the charge up to the city gates, but then something hit her that made her pass out. By then, she noticed she still had her suit on, and everything was operational.

Houston, too, was just waking up and looking around. 

"What…what happened? Where are we?" Houston asked, dumbfounded.

"I guess they took us prisoner into the city. And a pretty creepy cell at that." 

She looked around; all the walls of the prison cell were transparent glass, and a giant aquarium surrounded them. But the water was all dark.

Then Samus spotted the crumpled body of Leslie Gentes.

She helped her get up and held her strongly. Miss Gentes woke up shortly after. She had a sick look on her face. 

"Ohhhh…they put us in here…" she moaned and she passed out again. Miss Gentes was on her home planet, _and _here home city. Why she wasn't comfortable with this place was probably for a good reason.

Before Samus could think this out, the lights came on in the cell, and she could see bit further into the aquarium. She wasn't expecting what was to come next. She turned around and screamed.

*****

Ridley came within the Alpha Centauri Station boundaries. On his Federation comlink implant, he heard the Federation Docking Bay controller contact him.

"Incoming being, please state your purpose at the Federation outpost. Answer quickly or you will be gunned down…" he went on. But Ridley interrupted. "I know, I know, this is Ridley of the Federation Special Forces. Now let me in to see Chairman Keaton. NOW."

The officer onboard stuttered. "Uh…Ridley? He he…sorry…"

The officer cut was cut off sheepishly and the bay doors in docking bay one opened. As soon as Ridley landed on the bay floor, Keaton and Hardy, along with about fifty troops were in front of him.

"Chairman Keaton, forget the welcome and listen to me! Samus and Houston were captured along with Miss Gentes! But what you're about to hear may not convince you…but please send a fleet to get them back; Laguna is leading the pirates and has captured the Acuarian city! We've got to…" Keaton interrupted, "detain you, Ridley. You have missed interrogation and violated more than a dozen Federation rules. You will be sent to a detention cell for dishonesty, failure to attend an interrogation, and unnotified resignation of the Federation _and _for assisting the space pirates. Take him away." Keaton ordered the troops on Ridley, but only about thirty survived the first attempt to capture him, which ended in a big fireball.

"Idiots! Stun him from a distance!" Keaton yelled as he raced back towards the elevator, away from the growing danger. Hardy stood in the middle of it, and was all he could do to avoid fireballs and stun beams. Ridley hit the brunt of the shots, and fell down like a rock. 

_This is unreasonable. Keaton has no proof of Ridley's betrayal and he goes along according to his ego and high hopes. There's more going on at Acuar than Keaton knows about. If only someone could prove it. _Hardy thought as he watched the remaining soldiers haul in Ridley. Then he jumped up in excitement. _I got it! I've got to tell Keaton…no, no, no…that will only get you in trouble too. I need some political power, here…_

Hardy felt great desperation as he hoped some light would dawn upon the subject for Keaton. 

Hardy knelt in the bay, alone, and prayed for the safety of Samus, Houston, and Leslie Gentes. 

*****

Samus had never seen a shark so big in her life!

The giant fish behind the glass walls was almost three times the size of her own ship! And its mouth wide open as it rammed the glass made both the cell shake and her body with it. She stopped screaming when the shark got an electrifying zap and the glass didn't get a scratch at all.

But what made this place so terrible other than a safe encounter with a leviathan-like shark? She never understood this until Miss Gentes awoke and looked around. This time she wasn't afraid of the shark behind the glass.

She said quietly, "Are we still here? What are they doing to my city?"

She then thought about what she said, and frowned. "I hope Ridley is ok…"

Samus whirled around to face her. "What do you mean? He's still at the Federation outpost. He didn't see any action here, and doesn't even know about us…" Miss Gentes calmed her. "That's where you're wrong Samus…you see, Ridley was with us this whole time as we fought our way to the city gates. He snuck out using his cloaking ability and saw us get captured. He should be on his way to the Federation outpost by now…but that Keaton…he'll be hard to convince and the grudge he holds against Ridley…I hope everything's alright…" as the cell's lights brightened, the gang could see a platform near the top of the ceiling. 

"I wonder what that's for…" Houston mumbled and only had time to feel a little wet. Samus felt it too. "Hey, guys, does it seem a little damp inhere to you?" He asked. Miss Gentes went pale and Samus answered, "Uh…yeah, it actually does…why would it fell wet when the floor's only…" she got that far. The floor of the cell was flooded with water!

Up to their ankles with water, they all panicked and Miss Gentes went ghostly white. "We're in the personal purging execution chamber. This is where the most violent criminals are killed by the great shark as their death sentence. This room will be nearly flooded by the end of the hour. 

Samus got the picture, and without speaking, picked up the large Miss Gentes in her arms and Space Jumped to the high platform at the top of the room. Houston followed suit. 

"So how do we get out of here?" Samus breathed heavily and rapidly.

"The only way out from here is through an underwater passageway deep in the shark's lair. It leads to the surface and an adjacent docking bay. But we have two problems: the big shark knows we're here, and two: it's three miles to the surface. I can't hold my breath that long…"

"But with my breathing filter, and can spare some air and breathe it out every once in a while for you to intake as your mouth can be next to the breathing filter. But the shark _is _a problem."

Without thinking, Houston jumps into the flooded cell, now halfway full. He came to the surface. "Hey guys! The floor isn't open to the aquarium yet! We can wait just around the floor doors and sneak out behind the shark as he comes in!" He paused and looked back. "Hurry! The doors are starting to open!" Miss Gentes took a deeper breath than all her opera performers and winked at Samus.

They both jumped in and swam to the edge of the bay doors. When fully open, the grand shark came in, head first, and entered the room. Miss Gentes let out a muffled scream. Then they moved out. Samus and Miss Gentes first, followed by Houston with a charged plasma cannon, frequently looking behind him. The shark was wagging about and had not even turn around yet.

It was pitch black in the dark water. Samus could see easily with her gravity suit, and Houston followed her everywhere. Then Samus spotted a hole depression in the far corner of the wall near the blind side of the cell's wall. Samus freaked out big time: the shark was facing them, and his mouth like a void as large as the Kihunter Master's. Houston didn't need a signal. Both of them hit their turbojets on their air tanks and propelled like torpedoes to the hole in the wall before the shark could get out of the cell, and all he'd need to do was turn right and he'd block their way out. 

To plow the way, Houston fired several dozen of his super missiles. They caught the shark in the mouth, and it was knocked back into the cell; blood and bubbles flooded the entryway to the cell. 

They couldn't see into the cell with all the bubbles!!!

Samus had used half of her reserve tanks and switched to normal tanks as she got weary of propelling at 60 mph. Under these circumstances, anyone would crack.

Houston reached the hole first and guarded the entrance to it turning right to see the shark in hot pursuit. This time it was mad and out of the cell. Samus and Miss Gentes squeezed in the hole and propelled up the long, three-mile chimney to the surface. Houston turned his back on the shark and lost his grip on the side of the hole, he spun aimlessly and desperately fired his grappling beam at anything sight. 

He hit the shark's nose and dived straight into the void. Before the fish knew what had happened, Houston, inside the shark's throat, aimed and fired. He flew out of the shark's mouth and into the hole. He landed just inside it and laid a power bomb in the opening for the fish. Then he propelled upwards, waiting for the explosion. 

The fish had seen its prey swim into its mouth. And before it could chew its prey, it flew back out. 

It chased after it to the hole in the wall, and it briefly saw a light flash.

*****

Laguna had enjoyed flushing Samus and Houston with their pride and joy down the shark's lair. Before he could call his chief lieutenant, he felt his office give off a great rumble throughout the city. Power lines went out and he was in a dark and shaking room.

*****

Houston had hit the hole right next to the city's main power supply, next to the shark's lair. The rocky walls gave way to the explosion and the power generators exploded, liquefying the shark. And when he thought he had done his job with just that. The rising shaft of air bubbles exploded up the shaft and blew him, Samus, and Miss Gentes to the surface in a cramped, yet powerful geyser. Before he could enjoy it, he and he others broke through the surface and were launched onto the docking bay floor. Space pirates ran for their lives before the wet and weary bounty hunters, and Samus, Houston, and Leslie Gentes exchanged hugs and handshakes. Everyone was safe and well.

After drying their clothing and recharging their armor, the group started to approach the docking bay doors. The docking way was rhythmically bobbing up and down with the geyser adjacent to it on the surface. The opened for them, but not in their favor.

Laguna and dozens of space pirates opened fire at Samus and the gang. Samus grabbed Miss Gentes and power jumped over to the nearest structure that looked like a barricade. Miss Gentes understood, and took out her missile gun. She opened fire on a space pirate closing on Samus' back.

Samus glance back, winked at Miss Gentes and dodged her way through the pirate crowd. She nailed everything in her way to Laguna, who was aiming terribly at her, missing every shot.

She fired a single missile at him and it hit easily, since Laguna didn't move around at all. He was hit, and knocked to the ground. Samus shot him with a charged ice beam.

"OK!!! EVERYONE HURRY UP!!!" she yelled at her friends.

Miss Gentes and Houston answered by sprinting right down the center of the docking back – blowing up everything in their way or reach.

Miss Gentes made it past Houston and didn't stop to decide which ship to be as their getaway vehicle. She hopped in the fastest and sleekest, though the smallest. Samus understood her goal and gave Miss Gentes a thumbs up. The speedy starfighter hovered off the platform and rocketed off to the atmosphere for Federation reinforcements. Samus and Houston picked a moderately sized cruiser with sufficient armor. They hopped in, Houston driving, and Samus standing on the exterior deck to fire at anything to close to them.

The heavy and armored ship sped away from the docking bay and onto the surface of the water, skimming it with hover technology. Several pirate patrols came into their line of sight, and Samus blasted them. 

What she couldn't deal with was the massive battleship that lumbered around the corner of the docking bay. Samus fired a Super Missile and it hit dead on. It did nothing. Then Houston did a trick of his own.

He piloted the hovercraft to a nearby rock formation. With all the luck built up into the ship's engines he could muster, he drove up the natural ramp and flew right over the battleship, and then they were free from attack or any enemy range. Except for the sea mine they hit shortly after landing.

The explosion threw them both out of the hovercraft and sailing into the air. 

Samus woke up in the remains of some sort of massive shipwreck. What seemed to be the remnants of an old luxury liner she had been thrown into a destroyed tanning chair on what was the top deck. Houston was lucky enough to land in the old swimming pool and woke up quickly.

She could not speak well, for the pain in the back was so much that she could barely move. Houston bent over her and took her helmet off to kiss her as she fell off to sleep.


	5. Rebellion

# Chapter 9: Rebellion

** **

Keaton did not understand why Ridley would return if he was the cause of this war, Ridley knows him better than Hardy does. _But then again, he is a dragon…maybe dragons are stupid. _Keaton thought this out intensively.

He stopped by Ridley's prison cell, designed originally for metroids and genocidal creatures. This time, he would not break free from the shackles designed for glomian blorffs. And he _had _to answer to what Keaton wanted to hear, or he would be executed.

"Why go through all this to try to stop us, Ridley? Has that little pirate mind of yours improved since Samus last beat your head in? What are you doing here, Ridley? And tell us where Samus and Houston are! NOW!"

Ridley knew he couldn't tell the truth, so he played along in his favor.

"You know what, Mr. Tonberry? I think I might actually tell, you…" Ridley was interrupted by a shockwave of several thousand volts in his cell. 

"Oh…you like that don't you, Ridley? Want some more?" Keaton taunted cheerfully. Ridley was not having fun. But he would get out of it as soon as he could. He continued to act hurt, letting out a hurt roar from his throat.

"Please…no more…I'll tell you…just don't kill me…"

Keaton leaned in to hear the planet name from his captive.

"…Acuar…they're under my garrison and held captive as am I with you. Go ahead, try to defeat us…" Then he faked passing out.

"AHA! The rat speaks, does he? Hardy get over here and…"

Hardy was holding a blaster pistol straight at him and frowned at the chairman. Keaton stumbled back in fear.

"Hardy?! What are you doing? This is an interrogation of the lead space pirate. You can't kill me…the whole station will be on you before you get near Ridley."

Hardy smirked and said, "Yes. But that's where you're wrong, chairman. You see…Ridley isn't a space pirate anymore, ever since he gave us Kihunter information, he's been with us since. Now let him go and let's beat up Laguna and _his _pirates!" Hardy seemed a bit too confident.

"HA! You think I'm that naïve? Go ahead, make my day.

Keaton to transporter room – warp me from the shockwave detention cell. And make it snappy."

Keaton fired quickly and hit the wall behind what was Keaton. Keaton had disappeared and Hardy supposed he warped to the teleporter room. He should be sounding the alarm right about…" 

An alarm sounded loudly and Keaton finished his sentence, "NOW!"

*****

"Incoming pirate speeder, unarm yourself and assume immediate surrender! If you fire your weapons, you will be destroyed, so now lower your weapons and shields and prepare to be…" then the pilot intervened.

"How dare you talk to a foreign dignitary like that! This is the Acuarian ambassador, Miss Leslie Gentes, and I suggest _you_ lower your weapons and shields before you are court martialed. Now get me in, I have priority one information on Samus' whereabouts."

"Oh…crap…………uh…" It seemed the announcer on the docking bay hadn't changed one bit since Ridley spoke with him. He continued on.

"Yes, well, we have a prisoner on the loose and we will send escorts…and we will…" then she got tired of his drawling behavior.

"Forget it, I have my own weaponry, just let me land. 

"Yes, ma'am!" He shut up and didn't give any further welcome.

When she landed and got out, red klaxons and sirens were going berserk, and she ran towards the elevator door. The door opened before she got there.

Out stepped Ridley, Hardy, and some battle-scorched troops.

"There is a current rebellion in the process, follow me and Ridley to the front lines of the station's hallways. We are fighting to convince Keaton that we are not space pirates. We could use some political power. We must hurry, and do you have a weapon?" He glanced at her missile cannon. "Ok."

He managed to cram here into the elevator too, and they went into the heat of the raging battle. Keaton had a lot more to worry about than his ammo supply.

*****

Samus woke up with the pain in her back gone. Houston was watching her and she looked around. She wasn't on the top deck anymore. This time it was what seemed to be the former cabin of the wrecked ship (familiar name huh?)

She had her suit off and saw it in back of the room, with some missile chargers and energy chargers. They were safe there. Houston was fiddling with some loose circuits on the main panel, apparently still intact.

A shrill whine came from the machine and the ship's lights came on and the communications beacon started humming constantly.

"The Federation will be here soon." Houston said, smiling.

# Chapter 10: Mobilization and Organization

KABOOOOOM!!!!

A giant hole in Hardy's barricade was created when one of Keaton's troops shot it with a super missile battery. Miss Gentes returned fire while Hardy sought cover near Ridley.

_Scratch one Keaton_, Miss Gentes thought as another Keaton troop fell over from impact. The war was turning in their favor, but slowly and harshly. There may not be much left of the Federation after this.

Then Keaton himself warped behind them all with a bunch of shock troops to shoot all their escorts down. Ridley countered this by clearing out all the soldiers but Keaton with one big swipe of his tail. Keaton didn't hesitate long, and dropped his gun and raised both his hands in the air.

Then a silence came. Everyone stopped shooting and looked at Keaton, who was shaking nervously. Ridley smiled at him and let out a biting cackle, a small laugh. Then he bowed in front of Keaton and allowed Miss Gentes the honors.

"Chairman Keaton, head of the Galactic Federation, you are hereby under house arrest for disbelief of Federation informants. I too, have escaped from Acuar, from the help of Samus and Houston, and they need help; as well my planet. Every minute we spend here will be another minute for the space pirates to kill them both. Laguna is leading the band and got close to killing me too. Now hurry up, gather your men, and call together the nations under _my _command, or else the fighting will continue here. Understood?"

That was a blow to Keaton – no one ever stood up against him before, and now this foreign ambassador. Well, he finally believed her and Ridley and didn't have many choices under house arrest. He felt guilt.

"Very well then, I shall bring you to the next GF meeting…" he checked his watch. "WHICH IS IN 10 MINUTES!" Miss Gentes understood his panic and they all hopped onto Ridley without asking, and flew off to the GF meeting hall where all the galaxy's members from every planet defended the peace. Now would be a good time to change.

*****

In the grand vortex structure of the Intergalactic Senate Chamber, 

(like the one in _The Phantom Menace_), a grand pedestal stood in the center, surrounded by portable podium decks. The commotion in the chamber was larger than the meeting held before the Kihunters attacked Earth.

Chairman Keaton stood up from his seat and took to the center podium. He cleared his throat and the commotion slowed and quieted.

"Beings of the Galactic Federation, I thank you all for coming and forgive for the delay, as you know a slight mishap on the Alpha Centauri station has once again seen action and this time threatens not Earth, but the entire galaxy itself. A band of what's left of the space pirates has taken control of Acuar, and the galaxy's defenders, Samus Aran and Armstrong Houston have been captured, and lived long enough to free Miss Leslie Gentes, Ambassador of Acuar, and deliver her to safety. Not much is known about Samus and Houston's condition at this time."

A great amount of gasps and talking went on and some senators had an enraged look on their face. Especially the Chozo and Gul'Gen. 

"Please, listen. Miss Gentes is here with us today to tell us what is so dangerous about the space pirates at this time. Beings, your attention and respect – Miss Gentes." And sat back down and Miss Gentes, in full uniform, stood up and took a long, deep, breath.

"Centuries ago, my underwater city was founded by traveling merchants who needed a safe haven from the pirate attacks that then were devastating to all beings. They built the city on a crystalline pillar than extended down the bottom of the ocean. Once the city was thriving, the remaining founders of the city still alive inspected the crystal pillar. In fact, it was hollow inside, and at the bottom, was an ancient but technologically advanced city that thrived long before any of our ancestors were born. 

"That city housed nuclear technology and lost Chozo technology suits that rendered almost any attack useless against it. Such technology was forbidden to be used, and a great water seal by the city's last mages was used to block off the ancient technology. Laguna Ater, a former bounty hunter, obviously a fake, is working with the space pirates to break the seal and obtain that technology to gain control of the galaxy." She looked up and around at almost every senator, taking an eternity. Then she continued,

"I see you are angered by this and wish to go to war united with the Federation. I am happy to see you come to my aid, and I promise that the Federation will continue such immediate help policy after this war. Unfortunately, there is only certain ways we can fight the space pirates, and we have the perfect being for the job, at that. Beings, do not be frightened by his presence, he is working for the will of good.

Once again, the last dragon in existence and former space pirate, RIDLEY!"

Several screams and shouting were heard all over as panic overran the senators; Ridley stood up and smirked at the victims of his reputation. It was apparent he _was _popular after all. Then he got down to business.

He spoke in smooth, soft voice that demanded peace. The people stopped.

"Please, I am not here to kill you are terrorize you. But I am here to warn and aid you in the destruction of Laguna Ater and his space pirates that once served under my command. Please, sit down and listen carefully.

The senators' panic quickly went away and Ridley continued.

"Thank you. Now, you all make a fleet that outnumber the pirates more than 100 to 1. But as they know as well as I do, they use that to their advantage. 

They have a way of using their size to destroy the larger fleet quickly, seriously, I don't know how it works – it just did. It worked like this:

If any ship of the same origin was clustered together, the pirates would recognize their DNA code…I think…oh well, and they would fire the missile into the ranks. It would destroy the entire race's fleet that was clustered together. That missile is useless if you spread your ships out among the other races, how you do it, I don't care, just make sure you have flying distance from each other. The fleet may be divided and vulnerable, but with several thousand nations like all of you, attrition will win this war. Fight well, as I will go in with Miss Gentes to rescue Samus and Houston and help them to stop Laguna from breaking the seal. If you succeed, the remnants of the fleet will retreat, and Laguna will be hopelessly outnumbered. Thank you for believing in me."

I cheer rose throughout the chamber and clapping followed. Ridley was no longer just a space pirate, he was a literal strategist and lecturer. 

Ridley smiled and flew up into the air just a little bit and yelled,

"NOW! LET'S KICK SOME PIRATE ASS!!!!!!!"

A constant, primal, yell came from the senators and they burst from their podiums and to the adjacent docking bays. Ridley had motivated them and he was almost ready to take on his old officers. He smirked and flew back down. Miss Gentes, and Hardy gave him a pat on the back between his wings. Keaton looked stunned. 

"With a voice like that, you could become a great diplomat!"

Keaton exclaimed.

Ridley just stared at him. He almost took it as an insult.

"No thanks, Keaton. I think I'm better suited to destroying peace rather than creating it. But I'll think about it, ok?"

They all sat down and took a breather from a long day – so far.


	6. The GF Fleet

# Chapter 11: The GF Fleet

** **

Laguna was very displeased with all that was going on.

Samus and Houston got away, and helped Miss Gentes escape to the Federation Outpost, and the GF Fleet would be here soon. 

Ridley was strongly trusted and neither Samus nor Houston were against the Federation in any kind of civil war.

But all that would mean nothing in a few hours, since his hypersonic drills were pounding away at the Great Atlantis Seal. And the great chozo suits would be available to him. Not only that, but nuclear missiles would be available to his pirate fleet, and they would rule over all Federation forces.

Samus and Houston couldn't stop them now, they were shipwrecked out in the middle of the ocean, and the polar krakens would have them for an evening meal.

*****

The traffic going in and out of the Alpha Centauri Station was beyond comprehension. The traffic director was fired and a professional communications officer was put in his position. He too, had a field day.

About a thousand separate fleets clustered together in random formations, mixed together. Keaton had his flagship The_ Excalibur_, all repaired from the Kihunter attack, and added a lot more shields and auxiliary power systems to keep him in the battle longer (after that mishap during the Kihunter attack.)

The chozo, with their powerful ships, now more numerous than ever, volunteered to lead the assault against the pirates, since they had an axe to grind with them after all the years of pacifism and destruction the pirates gave them. On top of that, the pirates had threatened and injured their lead warrior, Samus Aran.

Gul'Gen was on his new capitol ship, _Tiamat_, now bristled with more weapons and shields than any Federation battle cruiser in existence. Several other races had their own uniquely built ships with technology familiar to their planet. Gul'Gen knew that the battle would not be quick, since the pirates were weak, but formidable. Gul'Gen hoped that they would get there in time.

*****

Hours later, the massive GF Fleet had moved out of the current solar system, and moved into the nearby system where Acuar was. The billions of ships in the combined fleet were overall slow, but powerful. Though their best warriors were far ahead of them. A faint red creature hosting one passenger passed through the atmosphere of Acuar long before pirate defenses knew what was coming. War was at hand.

*****

Samus and Houston waited on the top deck of the wrecked ship and watched the sky and horizon for any sign of the Federation Fleet. Samus was awake, and Houston took his time as he napped in the morning light.

"They better get here soon, Laguna' work should be almost done by now." Samus said, worried about the threat Laguna and his pirates posed after they obtained nuclear technology forbidden by the Federation.

Houston woke up, complaining clumsily. "Hey…where' the pancakes? Oh…it wasn't a dream…crap. Did the GF Fleet arrive yet?" Samus shook her head, "No, and Laguna's work on the Great Atlantis Seal should be almost done by now." Her voice grew to a whisper.

"What is it?" Houston asked.

"Ssshhh." Samus hushed him and listened to her surroundings.

She had heard something, and that something was unnatural for a planet like this.

What she heard was a woman's scream, a faint and growing scream. She looked up and saw something she'd never see in a million years.

Miss Gentes, screaming at the top of her lungs, whooping like a cowboy, with her 'yee ha's and 'giddyup's. She was riding the back of Ridley, who smirked at Samus as her came in for a landing on the wrecked ship.

"HEEEEY, SAMUS! WASSUP?!" Miss Gentes yelled.

Apparently, Miss Gentes' personality had changed since she got to meet Ridley, who took a liking to her interest in himself, also.

"What in the Milky Way galaxy are you doing here?" was all Samus could say for her thoughts. Ridley smiled and let Miss Gentes climb off him.

"We knew that Laguna was nearing the breaking of the seal, and we decided to come with you, since our duty was on the ground where we belonged, not in the sky where everyone has the same chance of dying. Besides, you need us, Samus. I _know _you do." He let out another familiar biting cackle and allowed Miss Gentes with the welcome.

"Okey dokey, Samus, we're gonna move on over to Atlantis to bust up Laguna and his goons. We gotta hurry, he'll be done within minutes."

Without further explanation, Miss Gentes hopped back on Ridley, and Houston stared at Ridley, wondering if the dragon would tolerate his next passenger. He got on and Ridley didn't even flinch. Samus was about to get on when Ridley taunted her.

"Now don't slip off with those frail bones you have…" then Samus interrupted. 

She gave him the finger and retorted, "Trusting those old wings are healthy enough provide you still are up to the challenge of fulfilling the strength of your race…" Ridley breathed a little fire in front of her.

"Enough already, get on – I'd never imagine myself giving Samus Aran a piggy back…" Samus got on and kicked him in the lower spine and Ridley sped off in pain. All along the surface of the water, a loud mix of cowboy jeers and yelling was heard for miles. Some say it struck fear into the hearts of the pirates…

*****

Keaton's war had started, and what a splendid little war it was; complete with enemy and allied flagships swarmed by fighters and cruisers. The _Battle of Endor _in the galaxy far, far away was nothing compared to this.

Keaton's ship was recognized by the pirate fleet and was attacked headlong for several hours. The pirates seemed to have an endless supply of ships that kept getting stronger and stronger.

"GF Squadron A-2, try to see if you can handle that pirate _Dreadnaught _cruiser. A-3 and A-5 help them out too."

"Affirmative _Excalibur_."

"_Excalibur_, reports indicate that the pirate's flagship has appeared with 4_Dreadnaught Cruisers_, and 8 _Leviathan-Class Battlecruisers, _we could use some assistance…" The channel was broken.

"Sylkis Primus Squadron to _Excalibur_, we will offer our whole fleet to volunteer, we are in the back lines and want to avenge the deaths of out people…" Keaton spoke in, "Affirmative Sylkis Squadron, show them what you got." Keaton was busy working on the channel with his own ships.

"Keaton! The Torizo fleet is badly crippled, they are requesting cover behind our fleet…here is a…" The channel went silent with an explosion quieting the last starfighter squadron the GF Fleet had. 

"Anyone with fighters not getting enough action! The GF Fleet greatly needs starfighter cover immediately! I repeat we need starfighter cover immediately!" the foreign military officer on the ship was asking for support on twelve different channels.

Keaton had more to worry about than his own ships. Twenty Federation Fleets from foreign planets had been crippled and stood in the outskirts of the battle to pick off pirates while they recharged and repaired their ships. The Chozo performed the best, only half a squadron destroyed, and their capitol ships deftly escaped several Omega Missile screens from the enemy. And they were getting a high kill score too.

This time, a second intergalactic war had started and was raging over the watery world of Acuar. The defense of keeping nuclear technology hidden was in their hands, or else the galaxy was doomed.

# Chapter 12: The Great Seal

** **

The sky of Acuar was lit up by ships both GF and pirates blanketing the planet's exosphere. The afternoon had arrived, and it seemed like mid-day.

Ridley was clearly enjoying fighting against his old officers, as they did not want to. He was teaching them the difference between right and wrong. They would pay for their ambition.

Samus and Houston slowly made their way to the heavily defended elevator to the landing port mile beneath the surface. The floating docking bay was covered with barricades and pirates, Samus enjoyed clearing them out like a hot knife through butter, just like the years on Zebes.

Houston wasn't nervous, but seemed to be wasting his ammo on the slightest change in tempo. By the time he reached the elevator, he had 100 Missiles and 20 Super Missiles left. Samus had all of her ammo supply full.

Miss Gentes was yelling and frequently charged pirate barricades madly… and succeeded! Her fiery rage in battle made her impossible to hit. And her exceedingly high supply of missiles made her a problem for Laguna's forces.

"Ridley, come on! We have an opening in the pirate lines! You can eradicate your former officers after we get this job done!" Samus yelled at Ridley, occupied with a heavily armored space pirate. 

Ridley looked hurt and reluctantly knocked out his old captain and flew over to the elevator where Samus and the gang was stationed.

They quickly closed the door before the pirate forces could reorganize and target them in one spot. Surprisingly, everyone fit into one elevator.

Everyone's minds were on Laguna. That bastard. How dare he threaten the universe and cause such conflict within the Galactic Federation! He will be dealt with easily…if he doesn't get the lost technology first, that is.

The door opened when they reached the ocean floor, and they opened fire on anything in their way. 

*****

Keaton's job was almost over with, since the Chozo ships did most of the killing, and the rest of the fleet ganged up on the capitol ships of the pirates.

Then the sirens blared in his face. "Keaton! Our shields have taken a critical hit! As a matter of fact, we have no shields! What do you want to do?! We have energy for an all-out attack or…" Keaton had decided.

"Repair the shields and reroute the energy to keep the auxiliary shields in line until then." 

Minutes later, Keaton's existence was threatened; over 300 fleets withdrew due to extensive damage, and the surviving fleets were getting the brunt of the pirate attack.

Then a sight for sore eyes came into view.

Rick Riefke's personal frigate flew into the battlefield. 

Rick Riefke was a former GF Special Forces commander, and had built a sturdy battle cruiser of his own. With Omega Missiles and Plasma Cannons junctioned with Power Bomb canisters. His heavy shielding create by gravity wells protected him from almost any pirate weapon, and his uniquely allowed nuclear reactor engines made his ship the fastest and most maneuverable in the galaxy. It looks like he wanted a piece of the action.

"Good Afternoon, Keaton! Looks like you could use some help.

Allow me with the honors of that Pirate Flagships?"

Keaton looked relieved and scolded himself for forgetting to ask Rick to join them in the battle. "Sure. You are not under my command anymore, you may do as you wish. For your comfort, you will be paid for this battle."

The tone in Rick's voice lightened immediately, "Yes Sir!" And then his ship took a mad dive straight towards the Pirate flagship. He admired Ridley's vigor in the Kihunter attack, and fired everything he had directly ahead of him. Several pirate cruisers tried to block his attack run, but then they were quickly blown up with all of Rick's weapons blowing through their shields. He flew right through the explosion and his course never faltered. He made it to the pirate flagship and his ship's nuclear reactor faltered due to the ship plowing through the enemy shields. Then the entire flagships exploded with shielding overload, and just like Ridley had a year ago, Rick flew in and out of the explosion unscathed. 

"Yeeeeehaaa!!! That should help out a bit! They're all yours Keaton. I'll take on these bigger ships for yez."

Keaton silently blessed Rick for his commitment to the GF Fleet.

Now they could start landing ground troops for the final invasion.

*****

Samus switched her arm cannon to HYPER as she melted the front gates clean off their hinges. Ridley was bashing pirates together and making pirate barbecues out of the ones that escaped his tail. Houston and Miss Gentes toured the interior of the city and reported that it was clear of any military installation. They had done the job penetrating Laguna's defenses, now all that stood in their was himself. A dragon, two bounty hunters, and a foreign but violent diplomat could take him on easily.

When they reached the bottom of the city, Laguna was at the Seal floor itself and just in time for the fireworks. 

The Seal opened with toxic gasses and water pouring out the other end. Laguna was not affected with his suit on and dove into the fray and fell downwards into the abyss. Apparently, he was not taking any time off to chat with Samus.

"WAIT!! Laguna, it's over!!!" Samus yelled in vain.

"Don't panic guys, I'll get you caught up with that whacko."

Ridley said calmly as he grabbed everyone in his claws and flew them into the crystallic pillar that lead to the very bottom of the abyss. Where it lead, they would find out and finally destroy Laguna and his intentions.

So they dove into the void with high hopes, that Ridley could fly faster than gravity. So he would have to show off to them. 


	7. The Lost City

# Chapter 13: The Lost City

** **

As Ridley flew faster and faster and faster downwards, Samus noticed that the glass walls didn't help her see past it very well. The entire pillar of glass had its own interior lights, but she couldn't see past the dark, murky waters of the abyss. Miss Gentes was getting impatient,

"RIDLEY!!! CAN'T YOU MOVE ANY FASTER?!! LAGUNA WOULD BE AT THE BOTTOM BY NOW!!! MOVE IT, NOW!!!!"

Ridley suddenly woke up from what was to him a daydream. He frowned at Miss Gentes and growled slightly when he dropped into a straight dive downwards, flapping his stubby wings as hard as he could to propel them to fall faster. He winced as he broke the sound barrier going straight down.

Samus almost fell loose of his grip. The shockwave from a mysterious sound barrier this deep in the ocean could only mean…

"We're almost there! Look all around you, we're almost there!!!"

Miss Gentes was screaming at the top of her lungs as they broke through the sealed gate at he bottom with supersonic speed. Samus could not believe her eyes as she stared down at he view below.

The water around them had gone. They were in an oxygen atmosphere at the bottom of the ocean. The sound barrier was a duplicate of Acuar's own sound barrier. Ridley and the gang had flown into a sub-marine city. The water around them before they broke the city gates was light blue, the color of the water near the planet's surface. Artificial sunlight glowed into the gigantic glass dome and gave them sight to everything in the preserved part of the bottom of the ocean. The perimeter of the dome was reinforced with thick heavy brackets that kept the glass from cracking at such a deep depth. But that wasn't the real beauty of the sanctuary, it was the city itself.

Instead of the old and small villas and houses from ancient history to be the remnants of the city, this lost city was intact, and completely modern.

Present-day skyscrapers and highways covered the city's floor. It looked like a re-make of Earth's old American city of Chicago. Skylines and parking garages, restaurants and suburban homes, even observatories, all in all a real city. What weren't there were the inhabitants. The city was completely silent and dormant. Not a sound could be heard. 

Ridley didn't know where to go, but since he had already landed, he could think this whole predicament out. They were on the roof of the largest and tallest skyscraper, only about 6 feet short of the gate. Ridley had to crouch to avoid bumping his head on the ceiling of the glass dome. The gate, already shattered, was only about 30 feet in diameter. Miss Gentes was also awed at the excavation site she had only been told about by her subordinates. 

"Well, what now? Where do we find Laguna?" Samus breathed out, snapping everyone out of their trance. Houston shrugged. "Well, if he doesn't know where to go, shouldn't it take him a while to find what he wants too? I mean, we could go buy some ancient hamburgers is they were preserved well enough." Everyone just glared at Houston. "What?!" He exclaimed. Miss Gentes was no longer in an amused state.

"Quiet Houston, if this city is as sophisticated as I think, the security systems probably still work. And we can use them to track Laguna down. Trust me, these are the works of my ancestors, obviously far ahead of anybody else in the galaxy. Let go down this tower. Maybe we can find something in it, since it's the top of the city." Miss Gentes walked towards the shack at the edge of the building, with Basic letters written in it: "STAIRWELL". Next to it, were two humungous obelisks that touched the top of the dome, probably to the ancients, their idea of the first entrance to the city. Everyone followed Miss Gentes down the old stairwell. They kept going down, and looked out the occasional window outside to see Ridley making clown faces at them and waving at them. But Samus ignored him.

They stopped at a door of a floor labeled in Basic; "SECURITY". It seems the ancients were very original in the name they chose for titles.

Miss Gentes opened the door quietly and walked into a room full of monitors and computers and keyboards and control panels. Miss Gentes lightened up.

"OH…..Yes!!! The Atlantis Security room! Now for the chance to really use their ancient technology. And look, the equipment still works!"

She pointed to the rows of computers, with the monitors on and the databases ready to be accessed. Without consulting the gang, she hopped on a chair nearest to the closest computer, and she typed in a few Basic words and found what she was looking for. 

## Atlantis Security System

Please enter password:

Miss Gentes stopped short of typing. She didn't ever hear of an Atlantic Password. She looked at Samus. Samus said, "Well, if the technology was created by Chozo for humans, wouldn't the Chozo leader have some special purpose in their security?" Houston wasn't paying any attention and was taking yet another nap.

Miss Gentes didn't notice and guessed her hardest.

## Atlantis Security System

Please enter password:

Enter Gul'Gen

Access Granted.

Select Observation Mode:

ØCity Gate

ØSecurity Tower

ØCity Hall

ØObservatory

ØChozo Museum

ØMarine Lab

ØVault 

Enter vault

Accessing security cameras…………………………………………done.

Miss Gentes then turned her attention to the vault area of the underwater city. Samus looked around at the various monitors that all showed the same views. Houston jerked awake.

It appeared to be the only part of the dome without a paved road or metal plating on the floor. It was bare rock and the real bottom of the ocean exposed. It appears the Chozo had hidden their technology well – a gigantic excavation site, covering a hole a mile in diameter, was the Vault. At the very bottom, which appeared to be another abyss, was a large metallic dome with super thick doors. A road from the main part of the city lead further away from the city itself, and ran through dozens of deactivated security posts and checkpoints. But that was all long since turned off.

Then a flicker of movement met their eye. A person, in Chozo armor, was running down the road to the first checkpoint and was passing through the dormant security stations. Though he would reach the excavation pit in almost 30 minutes, it would take that person a while to scale down the pit's edge; And even longer to get through the heavy metallic doors. Laguna was no longer undercover.

Miss Gentes nearly ran over Samus and pushed the roller chair that Houston was slouched on aside and screamed at Ridley outside the window.

Samus knew how bold she was and followed her out of the room. Houston fell off the chair and looked around as if he was a passenger on a bus being dropped off at the wrong stop. He realized everyone had flew the coop, and he clumsily ran out too.

Ridley then jerked his harpoon tail at the glass window, shattering it. Not long after, a slightly large woman – screaming leapt from the edge and onto Ridley. Another woman in armor jumped on him soon after, and what seemed to be a very drunken marine leapt off the edge and onto Ridley's back, nearly slipping. "Wooooaah!" Houston wailed as he nearly fell. "Ohhhkay…" he started off; and before he could finish saying 'where to?', Ridley flew off for the dark end of the city.

# Chapter 14: The Hydro and Pyro Suits

** **

Laguna launched his last missile into the locked doors.

They still didn't budge one bit.

So he launched all his super missiles into hem.

Still no go.

He set off power bomb after power bomb and got down to his last one when he heard something.

Something not right for this quiet city.

Something queer…

*****

Miss Gentes, still screaming at the top of her lungs like an Indian warrior, dropped down from Ridley's back and unloaded all her missiles at the unsuspecting stranger. 

Half of them hit the stranger, knocking him down. The other half sailed over his body and against the locked doors, not making a dent in them either. Clearly the Chozo didn't want anyone bad to get inside.

Samus dropped down along with Houston.

Samus cleared her throat and started off at Laguna.

"Laguna Ater, alleged bounty hunter and pirate, you are hereby arrested by the Galactic Federation for collaborating with the pirates, destruction of Federation property, false identity, robber…" she went on, only to notice Laguna concealing a power bomb in his hands, ready to go off.

"EVERYONE – MOVE!!!!!" She yelled and dove at Laguna, feeling the shock of a Power Bomb move through her suit. She stinged all over, but continued to wrestle the armor-clad bounty hunter. During that time, neither of them noticed the doors mechanically open before them and a grand staircase lead downwards to the Chozo technology. Ridley was bug-eyed.

"Nuclear technology, chozo suits, bioatomic weapons…enough toys to make me wanna be a pirate again…" he mumbled on.

Laguna though, noticed Ridley's folly, and shoved his metal glove into Samus' air filter and set off a toxic gas bomb for kicks.

He lunged at the open door way and rolled all the way down the vault's stairs. He didn't plan on doing that, but he was far ahead of Samus now. Soon, he'd be the most powerful person in the world.

*****

Samus woke up.

Houston sat nearby and apparently repaired her helmet.

Ridley was pounding on the doors, already closed. But they still would not open, even after being opened once.

Miss Gentes though, was tampering with the vault control panel, which was lit up, mysteriously. And as it so happened, all that commotion set off the security sensor and gave power to the entire city, lighting up the dome and making the ancient city seem better than Miss Gentes' city.

"What happened? Where's Laguna?" Samus exclaimed, and got up quickly. She looked at everyone.

"Laguna shut the doors on us, and went in. He's probably playing with those nuclear toys by now. Man, wish I had a few…" and Ridley quieted down, not realizing what he was saying.

"Wait Samus…I got it!" Miss Gentes backed away from the panel and watched the doors open with sufficient recognition of Miss Gentes' residency of the planet.

"Hurry Samus! The door will only stay open for a few more seconds!" Samus jerked up and turned her speed booster on and flew straight through the remaining crack in the doors as they closed. She continued to run at supersonic speed down the stair and deeper into the planet. As she ran the entire radius of the planet, she noticed it got warmer, and lava flowed in pockets in the stairway to her sides. She stopped dead short at the bottom.

She stood before what looked like a former subway system, filled with lava and burning columns of concrete at the center of the planet, holding up the ceiling. She jumped up and did continuous flips with the space jump and made it to the cool side of the lava lake. She opened the last door with her last five missiles and stepped to see Laguna looking around a black-steel room filled with nuclear and chozo technology, not quite as red or orange as the station around her. She stepped in and the door closed behind her.

Laguna turned around and she could sense no panic in his voice.

"Ah, Samus Aran, supposedly the greatest bounty hunter in the galaxy, given the famous suit by the bird people. And now the beings that raised her as their warrior will betray her for creating the technology that so many races coveted from them, thus destroying the bird people. And it will destroy you too." He turned back around and raised his hand, pointing to Samus all that he had found at the planet's core. 

he two elemental chozo suits. Legendary suits of armor that either had the ability to resist water, or create immunity to fire and lava. The Chozo, although they created the suits, made them identical, and impossible to tell different from each other. So they sealed the powerful suits at the core of the planet, where no one could reach them. Until now." He still didn't turn around. He continued on.

"And now the Humans' nuclear technology has been uncovered, as vain as the attempt was to hide such technology from the pirates, we always knew where it was, just how to get past you was a problem." His voice tightened with anger.

"You were always on top, always being the big shot, always the center of attention. I envied you so much, until the remaining space pirates offered to help me achieve my goal of being on top, while I gave them the nukes, it was a deal too good to be passed up. Though you have to persist in foiling my plans and preserving your reputation as I made myself king of weaponry in the Solar System, and soon to Keaton's folly, I won." Then he turned around. "Now, before you die, I will show off to you the brilliant energy of the chozo suits that has been shown before me. Enjoy your last moment on a former chozo planet. As it will soon be MY planet. Hahahahahahahaha!!!!"

And he leapt into one of the suit's chamber and a blinding light filled the room.

Laguna, in a shiny silver chozo suit locked his Nuclear Energy Beam on Samus and jumped at her. Samus set her cannon to HYPER and leapt out at Laguna. The two clashed in mid-air and the room started to quake.


	8. Soon to be lost city of Atlantis

# Chapter 15: Soon to be Lost City of Atlantis

** **

"What's going on down there?! Where is Samus?" Keaton roared as he waited atop the heavy metal seal atop the glass pillar, and at the bottom of Acuar's capitol. No one could answer.

****The only answer they got was a continuous rumbling from below, and it seemed that the city might collapse if the glass pillar might break.

He hoped Samus was down there, saving the world again. But he would be praying for more than Samus when the klaxons and sirens went off for an unstable crystal pillar. _Dammit Samus, hurry up!_ He thought wildly.

******* **

** **

KRACKOOOOOOM!!!!

As Laguna's Yamato Beam struck Samus in Mid-air, he flipped her over his shoulders in mid-flight and landed himself on a nearby wall and flipped off to the other wall, firing all the way at her. She only had enough strength to dodge his super-enhanced abilities, and couldn't aim with him jumping around faster than a professional Etecoon like the ones she saw on her last visit to Zebes.

His Nuclear Energy Cannon was knocking out her energy tanks faster than a metroid could. But something was wrong; the entire room was quaking violently; and not because of Laguna!

Laguna charged up his beam to full and fired it at Samus, hitting her directly in the stomach, leaving a sparking hole that almost punctured through her armor. She keeled over and fired at Laguna, who took such lovely time just standing there to get fired at. Her aim was true, and pure Metroid energy blasted her opponent. It knocked him back and on the ground on his stomach. He didn't scream or even move.

"So this is how you go out, Laguna? Such a wuss you are. Goodbye."

Samus laughed slightly and walked through the already open doors in all the commotion. And she would not be the only one alive…

Laguna got up quietly and aimed at her exposed back…

He chuckled to himself…

He pulled the trigger and…

KABOOOOOOOOM!!!

The wall behind Laguna exploded and lava poured out in a river of burning liquid. Samus turned around and stared in astonishment.

Laguna's aim was distracted and his sniper hot flew clear of Samus. Meanwhile, he was knocked back down on his back and buried in the lava flow, screaming and writhing all until a small muffled explosion was heard from beneath the lava flow. A large bubble came from the surface of the lava, and popped when it reached the air above it.

Apparently, Laguna did not have the Pyro Suit on…which also was not there. And Samus wouldn't be if she stood there any longer.

A monitor just outside the doorway to the tech room showed all one message:

Forbidden Technology has been stolen, destruction of Chozo Vault and Atlantis is imminent. Remaining time: 8 minutes 58 seconds.

Samus heard an explosion behind the massive lava flow and his gained such a fast pace that it was on her heels in no time. She took to her speed booster and ran for the stairway at the other side of the lava-filled subway station.

Pillars, columns, walls and the floor all were exploding in a croban fireball.

Everything would be incinerated.

Samus ran fast enough with her speed booster that she only skimmed the surface of the lava and made it to the stairway, looking back for only a short moment. The entire subway station was exploding in a nuclear blast! 

Everything was exploding and quaking in her direction. She took off using her speed booster once again and ran like never before.

The stairwell was melting into lava before she got halfway up the whole thing. Steam vents and magma bombs crashed down from above and through the narrow walls beside her. Everything, _everything_, was melting to an orange-like molten color. She could barely run without falling over with the vault shaking so violently.

But the blast of the nuclear powered lava flow rushed up behind her and she could feel it burning through her suit as it neared closer. She had to get out of here!

The once thick gray doors of the vault loomed before her and she held her arm cannon at it before she even saw the bolts on the doors, since she was going that fast. She fired her HYPER beam at the doors and ran right out of the already melting doorway.

She then saw the large and tall walls of the excavation pit move up before her. She pushed herself a bit harder and executed a super space jump after running so fast for so long…

And she flew right over the edge of the pit. She landed a few feet from the edge and stopped. Where was everybody? Had the lava flow stopped?

Then she noticed something outside the dome she didn't see before.

A volcano, what looked like a mountain, was dormant before, but the vault was built at its very base. And now it was erupting, spewing massive nuclear and burning chunks of magma out and towards the dome. A few hit the dome and it easily cracked…

…then the flow of lava from below burst out of the vault and filled the pit in less than a few seconds. Then it quickly rose and overflowed out of the excavation pit and onto the ground level of the city, right at Samus!

She switched on her reserve tanks and sped off with her speed booster, going so fast it drained her energy. The vision of her body was no longer blue running through the streets, she was a yellowish color, like the color she would be during a massive super jump.

Then the dome caved in, rushing in water and the lights went out. The orange-red lava lit up what was left of the dome and Samus spotted the security building below the city gate. She ran straight down to the symmetrical center of the gate, running through walls, buildings and doors in her way. When her position computer told her she was directly below the gate, she only thought for a moment;

_I hope this building isn't as strong as it looks! _She thought simply and stopped dead in her tracks, making her suit glow yellow with all the stored up booster energy. Then she lifted both feet off the ground in a jump, a massive super jump. A super jump almost a million times taller than the ones on Zebes; this time she would be jumping the entire radius of the planet from its very center. A jump that would only last so long…

Her speed boosters switched to vertical launch and sent her flying straight up – through all 255 floors of the building and right into the gate.

She broke it shatteringly, and she kept on flying up, losing energy all the way. 

She got to the point where her last energy tank was left and she stopped her jump. She had about thirty seconds to rest, being about twice that ahead of the lava flow. She looked below down at the city.

It was in flames and the lava had already made it to the city gate and was flowing up towards her and breaking any glass walls on the way. Doing that solidified any lava near it, creating a natural stone pillar.

She started to jump on the already melting platforms on the way up, but her strength failed her. She gave up all hope until _he _came back for her.

"I'M HERE TO RESCUE YOU!!" Ridley shouted out as he grabbed Samus in his claws and flew up to the portal to Acuar's capitol, looming closer and closer. But the lava flow had not stopped and was moving faster

*****

Miss Gentes had a look of terror on her face, and she gave in

"Ok, close the gate – slowly. Maybe they can still get out in time."

The city had been liberated and evacuated just in case they failed to block the lava flow. Miss Gentes hoped that they could just be there, NOW.

She saw them herself flying up to them and Ridley looked tired.

*****

This time it was Ridley's strength that failed him, and her dropped Samus on a platform ten feet from the gate, flying through it and waiting on the edge; The lava flow as only 25 feet from the gate. Samus looked up and jumped with what pride and strength she had left, her hand outstretched to Ridley's right claw. She gave into his hand and he pulled her through the last crack in the closing seal. She was in Acuar's capitol and the gate sealed closed tightly. The seal heated up, got really warm, and glowed dark red for a moment, but held. Cheers ran through the ranks of soldiers and paramedics as Samus and Ridley survived. And now the city had a stable, rock-hard pillar of solid rock and the pirates were defeated. 

Samus and Ridley were carried off on everyone's shoulders. 

# Chapter 16: Under the Sea

** **

Samus and company had once again saved the world. Period.

What did they do this time? Oh…

They only rediscovered an ancient city with lost nuclear technology and destroyed it along with the last space pirate on the planet who had tricked the Galactic Federation and escaped in time for breakfast. 

That was all that was on the peoples' minds after the greatest bounty hunters beat the pirates into submission. 

After the confetti-flooded celebration, they all took a breather in Miss Gentes' office. They clobbered the couches and hogged the chairs and were all just loafing around until Miss Gentes came in.

She looked more tired than Samus, then she clenched her hands as if she was squeezing something invisible. Then she sighed and shook her head.

"Oh, that man…what an idiot." Was all she managed to get out.

Almost as soon as she said it, Keaton burst into the room with a frightened look on his face; he had never been scolded by a lady before. He tried to explain what excuses he had. That really got on her nerves.

She just walked up to the babbling idiot and mugged him right in the gut. He let out all the air in him and keeled over. This time, he had never been hit by a woman before. It hurt.

"Well, what shall we do now? Since the galaxy has peace for another two weeks, we can all take a vacation…oh goodness! I forgot about something I got for you, Samus." 

Samus looked up and watched Miss Gentes bring out a remote control and press a button on it. That button opened up a panel in the wall in front of her and Samus was dumbfounded.

It was a database about Gul'Gen and their habitat on Zebes. It was everything that Samus was looking for in her life other than her long-lost brother. Miss Gentes saw the look in her eyes, and said lightly, "Oh…………and before the shipwreck that the Chozo found you in, your father………he…made a shipping deal with the Chozo. He wanted you to be a warrior too. It was his death wish that you would be a warrior to fend off the pirates. He had prepared this suit for you when you got big enough."

Miss Gentes pressed another button on the remote and another part of the wall slid up to show silvery suit just like the one Laguna had before he died. "It was the counterpart of your father's suit. It is immune to both fire and water, something the Chozo put in separate suits. It is now yours…"

"…I know this is hard for you…but please…honor your father and Gul'Gen well. Do the right thing for the galaxy…he wanted to do that…" she stared at Ridley, "…but the pirates hunted him down. Now you _are _his dream. I give you the Intergalactic Social Honor Award for all you have done for both humans and all the species in the galaxy. Good luck in the future. We might see each other around, Samus, Houston…" she paused, "…Ridley." 

She took an honorable bow and smiled and walked out into the cheering crowd of fans that she attracted away from her office. 

Samus just sat there with tears streaming down her cheek, and Houston just sat there thinking out how much he knew about his father.

Samus got the suit on and ginned at Ridley.

"Hey…Ridley old pal! How 'bout a game of _freeze tag_? Eh?"

Ridley started to panic, "Uh…bye!" He flew off with Samus in hot pursuit. Houston was left in Miss Gentes' office and checked out the bowl of popcorn on her desk. _Hmmmmmm, this looks pretty good…dinner and a nap._

_ _

*****

"**NOOOOOOOOO!!! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?! I ALWAYS WIN!"**

"Just face it Ridley, you're not good enough. You lost it OK?!"

"No I did not lose it, I wanna rematch!"

"You mean the twelfth rematch today? You're just humiliating yourself!"

"Go suck on it, Samus…"

"Wanna play tag?!"

"Fine…you won."

Samus was having a good day, she had beat Ridley eleven out of eleven times in a row on _Super Smash Brothers_ and this time with her character. She now really was proud she could do something good with her life, and knew why she was here. 

_To whup Ridley's ass, that's what…and to keep away from Houston's homemade pancakes…oh no…_

__Samus noticed Hardy walking in the front door of her apartment.

"Geeeeez, Hardy. A lot of people want to kill you right now…don't you have any form of self defense?"

Hardy turned clockwise slightly to reveal a Super Missile cannon, bigger than Miss Gentes' missile gun.

"Ohhh…I see. Finally deciding to play with the big kids, eh?"

Hardy revealed a half-smile. At least they forgot about his being obese. Maybe this day would turn out ok if no one else tried to kill him. 

"Well, since all of you look pretty hungry you have the two choices of the usual: my tomato soup, Houston's pancakes, Ridley's barbecue, or McDonalds. It's your choice but remember that Ridley always burns it too far." And he added, "Remember, my soup is much better than the trash made at McDonalds and more healthy than that nuked stuff Ridley comes up with." Ridley growled at that, but Hardy wasn't intimidated.

Samus grumbled aloud and took a moment to think. Maybe Hardy's soup improvised over time…looks like he would have to show off for them once again…


End file.
